“Drinking caffeine can increase estrogen levels in women, sometimes leading to an estrogen dominant state,” says Odelia Lewis, MD, a medical contributor to ABC News Medical Unit. “Estrogen dominance is associated with premenstrual syndrome, heavy periods, fibrocystic breasts, and even certain breast cancers.
Caffeine and Estrogen: A Complex Relationship
In fact, if you're trying to balance your hormones, caffeine may be a no-go. Research shows that it can increase estrogen levels. While caffeine is known to give you a quick energy boost, it can also disrupt your hormones, particularly estrogen levels.
Alcohol like bourbon, wine, and beer contain phytoestrogens (estrogen-mimicking substances), which can raise your estrogen levels, worsening PCOS, endometriosis, and fibroid symptoms.
Caffeine in dietary doses increases both adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and cortisol secretion in humans (15). Caffeine's effect on glucocorticoid regulation therefore has the potential to alter circadian rhythms and to interact with stress reactions.
Foods that reportedly increase estrogen include flax seeds, soybean products, chocolate, fruit, nuts, chickpeas, and legumes. Before we delve into why these foods are said to increase estrogen, we need to look at two important definitions; phytoestrogens and lignans.
Diets high in red and processed meats may increase estrogen in the body. If your diet's currently high in these foods, consider subbing in other protein sources like beans or fish. Maintain moderate body fat levels. Because fat tissue produces estrogen, losing excess body fat could help reduce estrogen levels.
Too much estrogen in the body can cause bloating and mood swings (PMS), lead to weight gain, and increase the risk for certain cancers. Adding certain foods to your diet can help keep your estrogen levels in check. These include cruciferous vegetables, flaxseeds, soy products, and fermented foods.
Caffeine consumption is also linked with increases in blood pressure in females (but not males). This makes coffee and caffeinated beverages dangerous stuff if you suffer from existing hormone balances — or if you are concerned about protecting your hormones and your fertility in the future.
Caffeine can disrupt your hormonal cascade.
If you're adding cream and sugar to make your daily brew palatable, these additions have the potential to spike your blood sugar. Caffeine itself can cause your body to produce extra cortisol.
Human's studies have shown that caffeine increases hormones such as cortisol and epinephrine during resting periods. So drinking coffee actually re-creates stress conditions for the body. 2. The release of too many of these hormones sends our body into a "fight or flight" behavioral mode.
Tomatoes, kiwi, citrus fruits, cantaloupe, peaches, artichokes, bananas, asparagus, corn and cauliflower all boast great levels of vitamin C and they possess the phytoestrogen power you might be looking for to boost your estrogen.
Another source of estrogen in foods is animal estrogen. Products like eggs or milk contain high estrogen levels because they are produced in parts of the animal's body that regulate its hormones. Eating high estrogen foods can help people who suffer from various conditions related to low estrogen levels.
To increase your estrogen levels, consider adding: Boron, a mineral that helps your body absorb testosterone and estrogen. Vitamin B, which helps your body create and use estrogen. Vitamin D, which functions as a hormone in the body and helps with estrogen production.
In terms of lowering estrogen levels, there is no surefire evidence that any particular drink can help women balance or lower their hormone levels. In saying that, research from the U.S. National Institutes of Health that drinking green tea daily could be linked to lower levels of estrogen in post-menopausal women.
One study showed that higher caffeine consumption was associated with higher estrogen levels for Asian women. However, the exact reverse effect was found for white women—higher caffeine intake was associated with lower estrogen levels.
You can become agitated if you drink coffee every day
So, if you feel restless, agitated, anxious or nervous, or having a panic attack, cut back on your coffee intake as soon as possible. Choosing to drink coffee every day can be the main cause of some mental instability if you have never drank coffee before either.
As for the 16-hydroxylated estrogen pathway, both estradiol and estrone markers were 40% lower among those women who drank green tea at least one time daily compared to those women who drank less than one cup of green tea a week. Levels of caffeine consumption did not change these dynamics among the women.
Eat a healthy diet: Eating a low-fat, high-fiber diet with very little processed sugar can make it easier for your liver to process estrogen. Limit your alcohol intake: Eliminating alcohol or drinking in moderation can help your liver break down estrogen. Reduce your exposure to synthetic xenoestrogens.
How much coffee is safe for women to drink each day? It's true, you can have too much of a good thing. Excessive intake of caffeinated coffee can make you jittery and cause: Increased heart rate.
Avocados appear to have anti-estrogenic effects as a result of their plant sterol content. Avocado cell walls are a rich source of β-sitosterol, which binds competitively to both forms of the estrogen receptor, ERα and ERβ. As such, avocados have the potential to reduce ER+ breast cancer risk.
Magnesium Key Role in Sex Hormone Production
Magnesium has been shown in many studies to be a regulating mineral. If your estrogen levels are too high or too low, then magnesium can help bring them back to stable levels, which will positively impact testosterone and progesterone.